PES 2014 preview code impressions round-up

With the embargo being lifted earlier this afternoon, a whole host of websites - including a couple of PES fansites - have published their impressions on the latest code of PES 2014.

Konami have since confirmed preview code is the same as the code I played at Konami HQ on July 5th (around 75% completion) with two new national teams added; Germany and Italy are now playable alongside Bayern Munich and Santos FC.

Similarly to my playtest in Windsor, the latest code only included Exhibition Mode, with all other game modes, like Football Life and Edit Mode, still locked. This wasn't the case 12 months ago (a stadium and team list for PES 2013 were both published this time last year), so as a fan on a desperate hunt for new details, I must admit I feel a little gutted.

Anyway, I've gathered the latest previews from a handful of websites, so every freshly-cooked opinion - all served just a few hours ago - can be found in one place, with a link and a brief snippet, in the list below.Eurogamer"I'll try not to fall into the trap of talking in vague terms about "gameplay" and "fluidity" and will begin as simply as I possibly can. Within 30 seconds of playing PES 2014 I knew, fairly instinctively, that this is the year that my allegiances switch back again."GamesRadar"Thumping, arcing shots are spectacular and realistic rebound physics allow the ball to ricochet off the post and then in off the hapless keeper’s shoulder. It’s less pinball-tastic than it used to be during normal play, but pleasantly unpredictable when things get frantic."IGN UK"Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 marks something of a soft reboot for the long-running football series. With an impressive new engine in tow and a strong localisation team now installed at Konami’s European office, it’s clear that PES 2014 is doing its best to move the series forward, to innovate and impress audiences old and new."Official PlayStation Magazine"I've played new PES – a lot of it – and it’s shaping up surprisingly well. Short of forking out millions on Doloreans and Spielbergs and the rights to toe-tappy Huey Lewis hits, this is the closest you'll get to actually going back to the future – because new PES feels very much like old PES."PESFan (Graham Day)"This new era of PES has only had a small fraction of that time to impress, but it certainly hasn't failed to deliver."

PESFan (Leeomac)"Worth mentioning too is that the preview image of a player that is shown when changing teams is absolutely stunning and it puts PES 2013 to shame. At one point I really thought for a split second an image of Philip Lahm was real."Proevo (translated from German)"The attention to detail is everywhere clear. Alongside the original players' tunnel at the Allianz Arena, even police officers can be seen in the corners of the stadium. Sometimes, it's the small things that make you sometimes forget for a moment that it's only a simulation and not real TV coverage."Videogamer"In terms of how the game plays, substantial changes have been made. The passing is still best-in-class: balls can be played into space with ease, 'snapping' to player's feet is generally not an issue, and it makes for some wonderfully free-flowing football."Virgin Media"Having taken that decision to change to the Fox engine, Konami has taken some risks. Some have paid off. Others less so: PES 2014 needs more work if it is to live up to the standard of PES 2013, the first real return to form for the series since PES 6."Winning Eleven Next-Gen Blog"Ultimately every football game is only as good as its core engine. On the visual front PES 2014 excels in many aspects with photo-realism and high levels of attention to detail in the faces, kits, stadiums and broadcast style pre-match scenes."WENB.de (translated from German)"The many new animations combine with the Fox Engine and at last, there's a breath of fresh air on the pitch. The stiff animations of its predecessors are finally a thing of the past."